While youth might be spoken at every
other level of NASCAR stock car racing it was the voice of
experience that spoke loudest at Riverhead Raceway when the six
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series champions won their titles.
All the 2007 Riverhead Raceway champions will be honored by
track owners Barbara and Jim Cromarty Saturday November 3rd at
the Polish Hall.
The old adage is life begins at 60
and for 2007 NASCAR Modified champion Bill Park of Manorville no
truer words have been spoken. It is the second time in three
years that Park has won the NASCAR Modified title at the
demanding quarter mile facility. In his championship interview
September 8th in victory lane Park noted, “I feel as though I’m
more competitive now than ever. My reflexes are good and Oscar
Rubio of Smithtown Nissan gives us nothing but the best
equipment to race and I’m going to keep on going as long as the
performance is there.” Park won twice in 2007, his second
victory putting him at 25-career wins at Riverhead and had an
average finish of 5.1 in 16 feature events.
“Dynamite” Dan Turbush of Riverhead
earned his first career Late Model title in 2007 at 57-years old
steering an all new Howe car for car owner Doug “Hurricane”
Wholey. Dan, who is a former three-time Charger champion scored
four main event wins on his way to the 2007 crown and boasted an
average finish of 3.2. Along with his 6 career Late Model wins,
Turbush has won in total over 70 feature events at Riverhead
Raceway, 50 of which came in Charger competition. As for his
2007 effort Turbush admitted, “I had my house for sale and was
headed for Florida, then my wife Lisa got a job offer too good
to turn down and Doug went all out on the new car for this
season, so here we are!”
For the sixth time in his
illustrious Figure Eight career Roger Maynor of Bay Shore will
be honored as the 2007 champion at 49-years of age. Roger who
will mark his 50th birthday in late July of 2008 won eight times
on his way to the championship in 2007, putting him at 86 career
victories, the leading all-time winner in Riverhead Raceway
history. Maynor steering the Barrasso & Sons Mason Supplies
entry had an average finish of 2.5 and the sixth career
championship ties him with the late, great Joe Biondolillo Jr.
“We had a great season, especially when you take into account I
had almost an all-new crew after I lost two veteran team
members,” Maynor recalled.
John Ellwood of Riverhead notched
his first career championship as a driver in 2007, this after
winning the title five years previously with Rusty Turbush
driving his car. Ellwood, 38 won three times in 14 starts and he
relied on an average finish of 3.9 to carry him to the
championship. Ellwood dedicated his entire effort this past
summer to Charlie McKay, a long time sponsor through his Middle
Road Plantations in Riverhead. “We were a team on a mission,”
Ellwood reflected, “mission accomplished and we owe it all to
Charlie.”
For the second season in a row Tommy
“The Wildchild” Walkowiak of Ridge won the Blunderbust title and
among the six divisional champions is the youngest at 35-years
young. The 2007 title aside perhaps the highlight of the year
for the driver of the Unique Golf Chevy came early in the
campaign when he eclipsed Fred Rodgers as the all-time leading
winner in the class at Riverhead Raceway. With six wins on his
way to the 2007 BB crown Walkowiak now sits at 28-career trips
to victory lane and had an average finish of 5.4 in 16 features.
“I’ll be back in the Blunderbusts next year, but we’ll also do
some Late Model racing,” Walkowiak hinted late in the season.
Danny Grennan 38, of Glen Cove
notched his third career championship in the Super Pro Truck
division during the 2007 season on the strength of five wins in
10 starts and an average finish of 1.9. Grennan, who annually
hedges each new race season about continuing racing disclosed he
did the same heading into 2007, “I was ready to do some other
things, but they got me convinced to race again and I’m happy
they did.” Oh, by the way Grennan has his Gulfway Marine Truck
for sale currently, but don’t be at all surprised if he’s ready
for the 2008 season opener May 3rd, 2008 at Riverhead if the
truck does not sell.
Joining the Riverhead Raceway 2007
“parade of champions” on Saturday November 3rd are 2007
Demolition Derby champion Michael Rommeney of Maspeth and Car
Rollover champion Brian Savoy of Lake Panamoka. The 2007 Enduro
champions will also step into the spotlight headed-up by Grand
Enduro kingpin Bobby Pease of Medford. They will be joined by
8-Cylinder champion Ed Brown Jr. of Mastic and 4/6-Cylinder
Truck champion Russ Jansen of Medford. Shawn Wanat of Riverhead
is a dual champion for 2007 in Enduro racing capturing the
6-Cylinder and 4-Cylinder titles.
The November 3rd date is closing in
fast. To order your tickets for the Riverhead Raceway awards
dinner please call 631-842-RACE or e-mail us at
info@riverheadraceway.com.
Source: Bob Finan/Riverhead
Raceway PR
Posted:
October 15, 2007
